Buddhist Monk Is Slaughtered at Temple in Bangladesh

By Julfikar Ali Manik and Nida Najar

May 14, 2016

COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh — A Buddhist monk was found hacked to death in his temple on Saturday in a remote region of southeastern Bangladesh. The killing appeared to bear some similarities to recent attacks claimed by Islamist extremists, but the police said it was too soon to determine whether it was another such murder.

The monk, Mong Shwe U Chak, 75, was found dead on the floor of the temple at 7 a.m. by his daughter-in-law, said Mizanur Rahman, the police superintendent in the Bandarban district, where the temple is.

The monk’s neck had apparently been slashed with a machete, given the depth of one of the cuts, Mr. Rahman said. Three sets of footprints suggested that there had been at least three attackers, he said.

Mr. Rahman said the police were investigating the possibility that Islamist militants had killed the monk. Over the past two years, similar killings have taken place, targeting intellectuals, activists, secularist bloggers and members of religious minorities in Bangladesh. Many of the attacks were carried out by groups of men using machetes.

Some of the killings have been claimed by the Islamic State or a branch of Al Qaeda, though the government has denied that foreign militants have a presence in the country.

No group was known to have claimed responsibility for the monk’s killing on Saturday.

Mr. Rahman said the police were also investigating whether Mr. Mong Shwe U Chak had any personal rivalries with anyone in the community or within his family.

Julfikar Ali Manik reported from Cox’s Bazar, and Nida Najar from New Delhi.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A8 of the New York edition with the headline: Buddhist Monk Is Slaughtered at His Temple in Bangladesh. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe